Rem's Chimera
by Rem-san611
Summary: A Seventeen Year old girl gets dropped on Chimera and is running for her life. Romance, andventure, viloence, some bad laungue, and maybe a little more riskay things in later chapters who knows...so Rated M just to be safe :  Enjoy. OC/Thor/Zagi
1. Chapter 1

This story takes place three years after the fall of the Dagger Pagoda. Enjoy. Oh and I Don't have any rights over any of the Jyu-Oh-Sei characters only the characters I have interjected are mine

Chapter 1

"What the hell is this place?" I said as I was running and slashing out with my hands at a vine that darted at me. It was like these things had minds of their own. I managed to untangle myself and crawl quickly away before the vine could reach me again.

"Ugh! What in the world is going on! Tell me I am dreaming. Yes. That's what this is. It's all just a really big nightmare, that's it….Yeah right!" I huffed as I was still running and dodging. From the looks of the place this planet is overrun with plant life; monstrous plant life at that.

"Jeez….can my day get any worse!"

I stumbled as I entered a clearing and a vine wrapped around my waist and hoisted me up into the trees. One after another, vines where coming out of nowhere and wrapping around my arms and legs. They held me up and started to pull my limbs in all directions. It was excruciating pain. I was being torn apart. I felt something in my shoulder pop and I screamed.

"Note to self, DON'T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT HERE! IT CAN, AND WILL, APPEARNETLY GET WORSE!" I had started screaming again as something now cracked in my rib cage. It was becoming more and more difficult to breathe now.

I grit my teeth from the pain and tried to stay conscious and not black out. I was doing the only thing I could to do to try and free myself. I took as deep a breath as I could and I tried to clear my mind, calm myself. I only concentrated on my right arm and the vines that were trying to yank it out of its socket.

After a few minutes, I finally managed to untangle my right arm when I saw two men dart out under me and start attacking the plant. My vision was starting to blur from the pain in my left shoulder and my breathing was wheezy at best from the strangle hold this plant had on my rib cage.

"DON'T MOVE! I'll get you down, just stay still ok. HEY! Can you hear me! Stay still okay?" he yelled up to me. I all I could do to answer him was to nod. I couldn't drag in enough breath. He took out two swords and jumped and the next thing I knew I was falling and in so much pain. Another man caught me and I screamed and writhed from the pain again. My vision was getting blurry and growing darker while the pain in my ribs and shoulder where throbbing in time with my pulse.

I was going to faint. Great, just great; I land on a crazy plant planet, run for my life from crazy plant life, almost get crushed to death, and now I am rescued, in pain, and with two strange men. Another note to self- WAKE FROM THIS CRAZY NIGHTMARE ALREADY!

"Hey missy, you ok…" the men were trying to talk to me but I was slipping in to unconsciousness and couldn't stop it. Before the darkness ate my vision I said a silent prayer that I would wake up again.

XXX

From where I was standing by the top balconies looking over the swap area of the dormant muses I saw Rada and Yui were walking toward the Ochre fortress. The walk way was an old wooden one that we had rebuilt for the months of the dormant muses. It was still humid and hot out in these months, the muses were only a little off schedule for their spawning this year.

I had made sure to remind every single occupant of the danger of the swamp area until the muses grew; because until they did it was very dangerous. Your never knew when they would decide to spawn. Although, the quickest way back to the Ochre Fortress was through the muses swamp. As the two men were almost to the edge of the swamp and I breathed a little easier knowing they would all be safe soon. And from the load that Yui was carrying in his arms it looks like we were going to get another woman added to our ranks.

"Thor, anything wrong? You've stopped paying attention." Chen chided me as I started to lean over the stone railing to see more of the scene below.

"Sorry Chen, but it looks like Yui and Rada have returned with some…interesting cargo in tow." At that, Chen limped over to where I was standing and looked down as well. She looked a little shocked, but recovered and then had basically the same reaction that I had. It was another mouth to feed and if this new woman couldn't prove herself useful in the next coming months then the winter days were going to be really hard for her, especially if she chose to not participate in the Month of Joining. I hated to admit this, even if it was just to myself, but this world was still far from where I wanted it to be for our people.

Yui and Rada were almost through the swap when the ground started to shake.

"SHIT! ZAGI GET A HOVER TRANSPORT!" I yelled to him as he fell in step with me when I started to run for the exit to help them. We had known that the muses were due to spawn, but this wasn't supposed to happen. I had to hurry to help them.

Damn this was going to be bad if Rada and Yui couldn't manage to hang on till we got there to rescue them.

XXX

"Well, Shit!" I sighed as he felt the first rumble in the swaps and started to run. "MOVE YOUR ASS BOY OR YOU WON'T HAVE ONE ANYMORE!"

Yui with his injured cargo in his arms was slightly slower than me but we managed to make it to a branch and cling for dear life as the muse we were on spawned up, and up, and up. When the muses finally stopped growing and the canopies were covering us in shade I finally stopped clinging for dear life.

"You alright kid. How's the cargo?"

"I'm okay…She's still out though. Man, I hope all that didn't hurt her more." I could tell the kid had a thing for the outsider. But, the kid knew the rules…not that Thor didn't try to make sure that everyone could be useful and could make their way here. But we couldn't just keep taking in the strays. No matter how much it hurt us not to.

"Come on, let's see if we can get anyone's attention."

"RADA! YUI! WHERE ARE YOU? RADA! YUI! ANSWER ME, DAMN IT!" Yui and I chuckled together. Yeah that was there leader out there yelling like a mother to her kids.

"Mommy's calling" I laughed to the kid.

"Yep!" he laughed back and settled the woman more on his lap so he could help me flag down Thor and Zagi on the hover transport.

**Authors note- It's a little short but I thought it was a fitting beginning :) let me know what you think I always welcome critques and reviews. Next Chapter coming soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I was walking through my apartment on Genesis looking for something to eat. I had just come home from weapons training and hand to hand combat training. I opened my fridge but, as usual with my lack of money lately, it was empty except for a roll of bread and some cheese. Sighing I grabbed both and a knife and started to eat like I was some damned mutant mouse.

Chewing on my stale bread and cheese I started watching some TV to catch up on the current news of not only my colony but the others as well.

"This is always so depressing." I sighed to my empty apartment. Or at least I thought it was empty.

"Of course it is. That is why it's called the news." A deep voice said next to my ear. I jumped and started to try and turn to see who the voice belonged to; but a gloved hand with at towel covered my mouth. I had taken in a breath by reflex and cursed myself mentally. I raged at myself for not sensing him when I came in the door. Where could he have been hiding? My apartment was tiny. There was nowhere in that area that this person could have been standing without me seeing him.

I could now feel the numbness on my lips and nose from whatever drug he, it was definitely a man behind me, had put on the rag. I held my breath and struggled and got a few good rib shots in, but just as his grip on me loosened I fell in to the blackness of the drug that finally swept me under.

I awoke with a start and bolted straight up in bed. I was naked to my waist except for bandages that where around my shoulder and chest. I had moved too fast and I doubled over from the searing pain.

"FUCK!" I writhed as I clutched my side. Both my ribs and my shoulder where now throbbing in time with my pulse again.

"Well that was lady like." A woman with short black hair and a false leg chuckled while she reached for me. I looked around the room and tried to remember what had happened. Memories came back to me in a rush, the plants and the men that got me out of the dangerous vines.

"My name is Chen. What's yours?" Chen said as she tried to gently lay me back down on the bed.

"Rem…My…name is…Rem" I gasped out as I was being laid back down. There were others in the room. A man with shaggy blonde hair and mocking glare, a man with long black hair and piercing blue eyes, and from the blurry images that I could remember the two men that had helped me in the forest…if it could be called a forest…were over by the door as well.

"Good. Now please don't sit up, you'll injure yourself further. From what Rada and Yui tell us you're lucky to be alive." She told me as she covered me up with a blanket.

"Weird name." the blonde sneered at me.

"Like yours is any less weird Zagi." The black haired blue eyed man chided him with a nudge to his ribs. Zagi just glared back at him with a smug smile.

"Where am I? And what is this place?"

"Well, if you are asking those questions, then answer one of mine before I answer you." The black haired man questioned.

"Sure… what?"

"What Colony are you from?"

"Thor, why do you think she's from a Colony?" Chen asked him. Thor looked at me expectantly, waiting for my answer. It looked like the others in the room were just as confused as Chen was as to the reason he had asked me that. All except Zagi that is, he looked at me the same way Thor did.

"Genesis." Thor and Zagi's eyes went wide. They looked a little astonished. And I didn't know why. Zagi started laughing and Thor got a measuring look in his eye.

"How far did you get from your pod with no weapons in the forest of the Bellasonas and Wrath Vines?" Thor asked me curiously.

"I've been running from those damned mutant plants for two days, if that's what you want to know."I was hurt, hungry, and angry that I didn't really have a clue as to where I was. But thankfully, at my grumpy comment Zagi stopped laughing. Which I was happy for, he for some reason really aggravated me on a really primal level. It almost made my skin itch the way he looked at me.

"Thor…" Zagi looked at Thor and then to me and he had the biggest grin on his face that it made me very nervous.

"I know Zagi." Thor sighed as he looked at me.

"You are on a planet called Chimera. And as you can see the dominate species on this planet is the plant life. Do you have any idea why you were sent here? From Genesis of all places?" Thor prompted me.

"No, and I have never heard of this planet before. What the heck is going on?"

"You must have really pissed someone off on your Colony kid." Zagi remarked. I resented the kid comment. I was not a child. I was seventeen and a damned good fighter. I glared at him. I really was starting to hate the smug look on his face. It was irritating. Chen apparently saw my irritation, and if she did the others no doubt did too.

"Ok, out. Come on boys let's see she gets a little rest before you go throwing her to the wolves." Chen said as she shooed the men out of the room and into the hallway.

"I'll be back to talk with you about the rules and history later when you can sit up." Thor said smiling and waving as he walked out the door. I covered my face with my right hand as the door closed and sighed.

Great, just great, all I want is to go home, but I had to figure out why I was sent here to begin with. And in order to do that I had to survive long enough to figure all that out. Thor and Zagi seemed to be the only ones to realize what kind of Colony I had come from though. They seemed to be the people in charge as well. So, it looks like they would be the ones to talk to. I sighed again staring up at the ceiling and trying not to move too much, avoiding the pain.

XXXXX

"Rada, Yui, you said she had no weapons at all?" I asked again to my two best fighters other than Zagi that is.

"None Thor, and she said two days? No one can do that. And those plants where all over her." Rada answered in a worried tone. Because the women population had been dropping steadily more every year, they were treated as precious dolls. Most of the women here though, were warriors in their own right and resented the cotton wool that most men would try to wrap around them.

"Heh! If you hadn't interfered she probably could have gotten herself out of the Wrath Vines you found her in. Was she freeing herself when you stumbled upon her or screaming?" Zagi asked curiously. Rada and Yui looked up trying to remember what they stumbled across while hunting. Yui looked down first, mouth open and eyes wide.

"NO way! He's right! After those two screams there was nothing…we thought that she was dead and we would come across a body; but when we got to her, though, she had her right arm free. I think she stopped fighting so hard after she saw us though." Yui said looking into Zagi's and then my face.

"Sounds like the Genesis warriors don't you think Thor?" Zagi grinned at me. It was obvious that he was taking a real liking to the new comer. And if I could read the glimmer in his eye, he intended for her to stay. Zagi had a thing for warrior women…especially the beautiful small but deadly kind. And this Rem was defiantly a small and deadly little package.

'_I can't think like that right now' _I thought to myself as I let out a sigh and kept walking, but my thoughts kept straying just like Zagi's must have been. He was grinning way too much for him not to be planning something.

Rem was beautiful, at 5'3" she probably would have been just under Tiz and Karim's height. And she did have very pretty green-gold eyes. They were mesmerizing…I shook my head to try and clear it. God, had it really been three years since I had lost the two most important women to me. I hadn't participated in the past Months of Joining, well, because, none of those women could come anywhere near the two I had lost.

Hell, I knew that if I joined a fight would start too. I was always asked by an abundant amount of women if I would be their partner for the Month. I would always decline. And if Zagi participated it wasn't known to anyone but him and that partner. I sighed again. I was thinking about this too much. First Rem had to prove herself worthy of being able to stay here. I knew Zagi was thinking of a plan at this very moment for that, no doubt in my mind…

Why was it that we always had the same women in mind for our own.

"Why all the sighing leader?" Zagi smirked…

"Let it go Zagi…"

**A/N: Reviews and comments on story line welcome :) hope you enjoyed this chapter next chapter in the works up soon hopefully :)**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**One week later**

I was finally able to sit up now without my breathing being labored, because of the three cracked ribs I had gotten from the Wrath Vines. My shoulder had been reset and was healing fast as well. It only hurt to raise my arm a little past my head. Other than that I was fully functional. I wouldn't be roughing it, if I could help it, but I was able to defend myself again. Finally. There was a knock on the door.

"Can I come in?" Thor's voice rumbled through the thin wooden door. I covered myself with the blanket I was given and made sure I was decent. I had been changing my wrappings and was only half-way done. From what I could learn in the past few days of being laid out on a bed, Thor was the leader here. I wasn't going to make him wait.

"Yes." As he entered and saw me Thor blushed a slight shade of pink, so I decided to ask if there were any shirts I could barrow since mine had been torn to shreds by the plants. "Any spare clothes I could barrow for now? All I really need is a shirt."

"Uh…Ye..Yes let me see if Tiz can find you one." Thor said clearing his throat and looking down next to him. I hadn't noticed her come in, as she was hiding behind Thor's legs. She looked to be extremely shy for her age. From her height she looked to be about eight to ten years old. I tried to cover for my horrid manners.

"Hi there. Sorry, I didn't see you before. My names Rem. Are you Tiz?" the little Tiz only nodded but she had the prettiest smile. Thor patted her on the head and gave her directions on finding a shirt and to come straight back here. She giggled and waved and ran out of the room.

"I think she might come to like you." Thor chuckled as he walked over towards me. He sat on the edge of the bed and started to tell me about all of the history and the Dagger Pagoda, and the now unified continent under him. He told me of the differences in the colony life and the life I would now lead here. I apparently had to prove I was worth feeding during the winter months or I would be kicked out.

"Ok… How do I prove to you that I am worth feeding" I said with a smile. My smile faltered though as I saw Zagi walk through my door without knocking. Tiz was next to him and dashed right over to me and Thor. She hoped up on the bed and held the pale yellow shirt up to me for inspection. I smiled down at her and took the shirt and laid it on my lap. I would put it on later when the men were gone.

I had a feeling Zagi was going to talk me into a corner that I wouldn't like; and well being nude in front of the two of them just really didn't seem like a smart thing to no matter how brief the moment would seem to be. I'm not shy in the least, and it's not something that they haven't seen before I'm sure; but from the looks and edginess between the two I would be an idiot to add to that.

"You could just test your skills against another fighter." He said lightly.

"Zagi…"

"You know she can do it. It is a valid option. Although, she has no weapon and weapons are earned here. " Zagi interrupted.

"So, all I have to do is earn a weapon in a fight, and win said fight…is it to the death or just a test of skills like ya' said?" I asked to clarify the rules and to see what I was getting myself into. I got an approving look from Zagi and Thor gave me a sad smile.

"Since you are a woman it will be a test of skills. As I told you, women are precious here. But you will go in to this fight with no weapon, against a man. Do you understand this?" He looked at me with a sad longing and worry in his eyes. I nodded. I had fought men twice my size and won what was a few brutes on this plant planet? I thought _'what the hell… I am going to have to earn my keep anyway, right?'_

"You have to either: earn the weapon from him and make it so he is unable to continue the fight, or you have to incapacitate him in some other way without the weapon. Mind you, it's the better idea to have a weapon, because if you take it from him it will then be yours." Zagi continued for Thor.

"Ok. Anything else I should know, before the fight that is?" I asked just to see if there were any other tiny surprises coming my way. Zagi looked at me and chuckled behind his fist at my question. Apparently, I was hilarious today.

"I wouldn't go around trying to make friends here. This isn't the colonies and you earn respect and friendships. Just keep your eyes open and you should be fine." I looked to Thor for confirmation of what he was saying. He nodded.

"So, who am I going to be fighting then?" I asked apprehensively to the room.

"Me." Zagi smirked.

"Zagi…" Thor sounded upset and I didn't understand why. What was wrong with me fighting Zagi? I looked from one man to the other trying to grasp some clues as they continued to argue and ignore me completely.

XXXXX

"What Thor, it's the fastest way for her to earn, not only the men's respect, but some of the women's as well. It's the fastest way." I said to my leader. I was saying the right things, but really all I wanted was a chance to touch this woman. Naturally, Thor understood and thus this conversation, but still, I just wanted the excuse to touch her and fight the warrior I could sense in her.

"You know she won't earn the women's respect fighting you. You know that." Thor said grumpily running his hands through his hair. He had a point actually. There were a ton of women for both Thor and I that would cut any competition they saw down, so that they could stand out to us. I sighed because I knew what he was getting at. Thor didn't want to paint a gigantic bulls eye on this woman's back. But, what other option really was there? We were the best fighters and I didn't want him to have the chance to touch her before me. I'm a competitive son of a bitch. I admit, at least, that much.

"What other option would you suggest, and don't say yourself; that would cause a greater uproar than if she fought me." I was noticing that Rem was looking from me to Thor and back again as the conversation wore on. She looked pissed off that she was being talked over like she wasn't there, but she was smart and kept quiet. She was still figuring everything out and she was calculating. It was there in the crinkle between her eye brows and the hardness in her eyes. It could be a man's throat if you underestimated this one.

"Why would fighting either or you be a bad thing?" Rem asked and was ignored. She would understand soon enough.

"There is always Rada or Yui. They won't cause as much of a stir as us." Thor finally said.

"You know she could demolish them…" I said a little uneasy. I had made the mistake of forgetting about those two. They were normally just advisors but, they were excellent with swords as well. Crap.

"Not in my condition I can't. I will be lucky to disarm anyone like this." Rem remarked at her condition. "I mean I can hold my own and defend myself; but it'll be a push…"

"We can't really postpone it any longer Thor, the men and women here will want to know soon if she is to be a part of us, or to be kicked out." I said and smiled as I received two wonderful glares.

"I know that Zagi."

"Then make a decision Thor." I pushed. Hopefully this would go the way I planned. I loved Thor like a brother, and like a brother I loved pushing him the most. Others would see it as a dangerous tug of war between us. But on a subconscious level Thor and I understood one another.

We were attracted to the same things as well. That's why I wanted to win this. I wanted her. She was going to be mine. I had already lost Karim to Thor. I wasn't going to lose another warrior woman, which I was attracted to, again to him.

"Yui then. Let her fight Yui." I sighed. Yui was a good enough choice but I wasn't happy about it.

"Fine. I will go and set it up. Two days to rest up till then. Got it princess?" I wanted to poke at her a little. She was calmer than either Thor or me when we got dumped on this crazy planet. It made me wonder how things on Genesis were really run.

"I am not your Princess." She scowled at me with a glare. I laughed as I turned and started walking out of the room.

"Sure thing Princess." As I closed the door I heard a frustrated grunt and a chuckle from Thor and Tiz.

'_This was going to be an interesting fight. I just hope she doesn't demolish Yui too badly'. _I thought to myself as in walked out in search of Yui to tell him the fun news.

**A/N: Reviews always welcome.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"I'm what!" Yui yipped at me. I rubbed the ridge of my nose with my thumb and index finger. I was getting the first stirrings of a headache. Yui had been a pain in the ass to find. I'd finally chased him down at the dining hall and told him about the fight. He looked a little freaked out actually. That was interesting.

"You're not deaf, don't make me repeat myself."

"But she's injured…and a woman…I can't fight her."

"Don't underestimate her just 'cause she's a woman."

"That's not what I meant and you know it Zagi! Damn it! You know we need to protect the women, not fight them!" Yui raged at me. He had a point, but he was starting to draw stares in our direction from his little outburst.

"Regardless, she needs to prove herself as the warrior that she has proclaimed herself to be. You'll be her test, not her death." I sighed out an aggravated hiss of breath. "Jeez, what do you take me and Thor for, monsters? We won't lead the woman to her death. She stands a fair shot."

Yui looked bewildered. I clapped him on the shoulder for support.

"Cheer up. It will be a fun test. I can almost guarantee it." I chuckled to him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yui glared at me and removed my hand.

"Nothing….Nothing." I laughed waving to him as I was walking away. I had other preparations to make for the hunts that would be taking place shortly. We needed to bolster our stores as much as possible before the nights started.

XXXXX

**Day of the fight…**

I tied off my chest and shoulder wrapping and was pulling my shirt over my head when I heard the door to my room open. I turned to find Tiz leaning against my door. I let out a breath that I hadn't even realized I'd been holding. When had I started to suspect that everyone that came through that door meant me some sort of harm? '_Heh. Probably about the time Zagi declared that a test of skills by sword would be in order…' _I thought to myself as I smiled to the timid little girl wringing her hands in her tunic.

"Hey Tiz. What's the matter?"

"Nothing…Just…ummm…I wanted to tell you to be careful. Yui is really good at fighting." She stuttered and then rushed. It was really cute. I walked over to the little form that wouldn't look up from the ground. I bent down so that I could look her in her eyes.

"Hey no worries kiddo." I lightly tipped her chin up to make her look at me. "I'm not going to die. Trust me. Kay?" I smiled to her. This little girl was so full of emotions it was heartwarming to watch all those emotions cross such a tiny face. Fear, anger, sadness, hope and finally a small smile tipped her face. Then suddenly, I was knocked on to my butt from the force of her hug. Her little arms were vices as they were wrapped around my neck so tight. I consoled her gently and got her over the fear as much as I could.

"Now, can you show me the way to that arena Tiz?"

"Mmmm." She nodded as she wiped her face of her tears and started to lead me by the hand to the arena. This place was a maze. All the stone walk ways seem to blend. If I hadn't had Tiz to guide me I was sure I would have been wondering for hours and hours. She finally stopped in front of one of the last walkways on the corridor and pointed.

"Down there huh? Humm, ok then. So, why don't you go meet up with Thor, ok? I'll be okay from here on. Promise." I told her with a grin and a thumbs up. That earned me a smile and another hug, this time around my waist. I watched Tiz till she was out of sight and then started toward the fight.

"Here goes nothing."

XXXXXXX

I was standing in the arena waiting for the women that I had helped save from the forest to come through the other tunnel. Thor had sent Tiz to show Rem the way to the arena. I heaved a heavy sigh. I didn't want to do this. Women were to be protected, not thrown into an arena to fight men. Even if this was just a test…Rem was injured wasn't she? Wouldn't this just hurt her further? What could Thor and Zagi be thinking?

On the heels of that thought, Rem walked in to the far side of the arena. She was pretty standing just under my height, with long red hair and golden eyes. She was like a living doll that you would want to place on a shelf and stare at; not join in hand to hand combat with.

"Damn them…" I muttered to myself. Not that anyone could have heard me over the jeers that were being screamed in to the ring from the on lookers. There were cat calls from the men and jeers from the women from what I could distinguish. Just what the new comer needed a bulls eye on her back. After this fight, the men would want her, and the women would want to kill her. What the hell was Zagi thinking? This was going to be a fun test of skills my ass!

During the chaos of my thoughts Rem had walked to where I was standing the small man that was going to be judging the fight. He read out the rules to us; which honestly weren't much and at the end Rem startled both me and the ref. She smiled at us both and put her hands on her hips.

"Ready, Fight!" the ref had said and stepped back. Way back.

"Shall we get started then?"she said. I blinked a few times, and probably looked like an idiot for a second with my mouth hanging open like it was; but I was shocked at her nonchalance of the whole matter that was before her. I stepped back a few steps and unsheathed my sword.

"Umm..yeah ok." I said and she giggled to my amazement.

"No need to be nervous, Yui. It was Yui right?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"Ok then, Let's have a good fight, Kay Yui?" She said smiling and hoping from one foot to another like a championship fighter.

Zagi had told me not to underestimate her and from the look I could see on her face; I now understood completely what he meant.

"Yeah. Let's" No sooner did the words leave my mouth she was on me. Damn she was so fast. I dodged to the right and swung out with my sword. She dodged with a flip, which landed her far enough away so that she had time to counter whatever attack I launched. Damn, Damn, Damn.

We dodged and parried each other for what seemed like forever. We were both out of breath and she was sporting a few more nicks on her skin from my sword, whereas, I was sure that my ribs were going to be purple tomorrow. Damn this match was taking too long. If I let it go on much longer she'd win by stamina alone. I couldn't believe the amount of energy that she had left still. I was barely standing now.

Man, how was I going to finish this without hurting her severely?

XXXXXX

"Ha! What did I tell you? She's going to wipe the floor with him." Zagi said laughingly to me as we watched the trial. He was right. She was going to corner Yui soon. I couldn't believe the fight I was seeing. She still had a sore shoulder and a bruised side, but the maneuvers that she was pulling off were incredible.

"She still has to get his weapon you know." I countered him. It wasn't that I didn't agree with him, it's just I wanted him to worry a little at the situation that he had put this woman in.

"She will." He was utterly confident in her. Why? Was it because of where she was from? Genesis was a well known warrior colony, that's true but; where did all his confidence come from? I stared on down at the ring as the two engaged again. Yui attacked and Rem dodged and made body blows while inside of his range. Unfortunately for Yui she was just a shade quicker than he was with his sword.

XXXXXX

"Shit!" I wheezed as I missed and she connected with my rib cage again. She was again out of my reach by the time my sword swung around, but this time as she was crouched she was clutching her ribs too. I had one last ditch effort that I really didn't want to do because I knew I would seriously injure her again. But I really had no choice now. I had no more energy, if I was going to win this 'test of skills' as Zagi had called it, like I was supposed to, I had to do it.

I flung my sword at her. Just, chucked it straight at her and ran head long right after it. I was going to catch her off guard and end this. Her eyes widened and she dodged the sword. I slid and swept her feet out from under her taking her to the ground.

"Fuck!" she yelped as she landed on top of me. I knew it wasn't fair but a win is a win. I wrapped my arms around her middle and squeezed. She screamed in agony. She may have been down but I'll be damned if she was out. Her head flew back and I had to quickly move my chin otherwise my jaw and nose would have been causalities of this fight as well. Instead my collar bone took the beating. I squeezed again and she let out another gut wrenching scream. This time I felt a warm slickness underneath my forearm. She was bleeding heavily now.

"Please give in. You're bleeding to death. GIVE IN." I said as she screamed at me.

"NO!" and with that her legs rose up and slammed into my knee caps. In pain and shock from the surprise of the attack I released her and rolled over thinking she would crawl away to lick her wounds.

I was quickly shown how wrong I was by the swift kick I received to my ribs; the very same ones that had taken a beating the entire fight. She didn't let up on them either. All I could do was curl up and hope for her to stop kicking me long enough for me to hit back.

Damn she kicked hard. Talk about a sledge hammer to the ribs.

I was right she did stop, but she didn't stay close so I could take her by surprise. She had backed off and was clutching her side wheezing air into her battered lungs. I tried getting to my knees only to collapse several times. I was huffing and wheezing from the exertion of trying to hold her down. Damn it was over. I lost. I couldn't even bring myself up off the ground now.

"Well, Shit!" I said with feeling.

"Yeah I know what you mean… I can't move either… You worked me over good." She wheezed back at me.

The referee looked at both of us with something like awe; it was like someone had taken a hammer and smacked him in between his eyes. You know that dumb, mouth hanging open moment; that was him. Rem and I looked to him then back at each other and started laughing uncontrollably; which was followed by groans of pain from our seemingly broken ribs.

"We're done now." Rem told him. The poor guy looked truly confused. He couldn't make a clear decision as to who had won the fight. I made the decision for him.

"We are tied. I can't win. And she can't hit anymore. Therefore I call a draw." I stated to him. He nodded at both of us and then repeated aloud what I had told him to the arena. There were jeers all around us and a few objects thrown in the ring to boot. They obviously wanted blood and a lot of it.

"Talk about your tough crowds." Rem smirked at me as she sat on the ground in a cross-legged position. I couldn't help the smile that crept on to my face as I looked back over to her. We sat there exhausted from our efforts, smiling at our unhappy jeering fans, waiting for someone to help pick us up off the ground.

**A/N: I was on a roll and continued to type. Let me know what you think.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

My ribs were toast. I was sure the cracked ribs I had before, were now well and truly broken from Yui's last ditch attack in the ring. I was trying to wrap myself up and failing miserably when my door opened. I was nude from the waist up and well, let's just say the color of the skin, on my rib cage, wasn't the prettiest to behold. Not to mention all the wounds on my arms, legs, and hips from where I wasn't quick enough in dodging Yui.

"A sporting color that black." Zagi said from my door way. I knew my face was a nice red to match now. What the heck was he doing here? I thought as he started to walk towards me.

"Uh…Zagi…Why are you here?" I asked slowly trying not to freak out. I was gathering my blanket, as fast as I could with my injuries, to cover myself. I got the blanket up to about chest level when he took it from me and threw it across the room.

"Zagi?" I knew my voice was showing some panic now. The answer I got in return was a smirk as he picked up the bandages and started wrapping me up.

"I'm not going to molest an injured woman you know." He snarled at me. Apparently my reaction had made him a little angry. He wrapped up my shoulder first and then moved on to my chest. To say this was embarrassing would be the grosses understatement of the century.

I must have looked horrible with all the bruises and wounds everywhere. Even my hair was thrown haphazardly into a braid to keep it out of my face. I didn't really have a problem with nudity; sometimes during a fight it is just necessary to ignore the fact that I am a woman. I can't be distracted in a fight. But, this wasn't a fight and I was having a hard time keeping my embarrassment in check with him wrapping up my breasts.

My face had to have been beet red from the heat I could feel radiating off my cheeks. Zagi didn't even seem fazed, in the least, by wrapping me up though.

"What's a woman to think when she is alone and injured and someone walks in her room without knocking?" I retorted. My embarrassment was making me a tad edgy. Zagi looked up from his wrapping at my comment and grinned.

"I don't knock."

"Why not?"

"And miss the chance to catch you off guard? No thanks." He smirked at me and went back to diligently wrapping my wounds.

"You're an arrogant little bastard aren't you?"

"ME!" he said in mock astonishment. I couldn't help but chuckle, which hurt a little. I hissed out a breath and ground my teeth to keep from making louder pain noises. God that hurt. Yui really had gotten me good.

"Sorry. You ok?" He said as he further checked my ribs for damage. I could only nod. I didn't trust my voice at the moment. Zagi waiting for my nod, then went back to wrapping again.

Abruptly, my door was thrown open again. Although this time it was a bawling little girl. Tiz came flying into the room and threw herself at me. My reflexes, overriding my body's pain, moved me to catch her. Her little arms wrapped around my neck and effectively moved Zagi away from my chest.

Tiz, though, was in hysterics. She just kept weeping while asking me again and again if I was alright. I grit my back teeth together and rocked her back and forth to comfort her; to show this fragile little girl that I was okay.

"Tiz, Tiz…hunny I'm okay. See. See hun I'm okay." I just kept chanting that to her. I looked over at Zagi to see if I might be getting help some time soon. But what I saw, well, I don't think that many people have seen the warmth that I saw on his face. I don't think that he noticed I was looking till I made yelp when Tiz accidently moved her knee in to my ribs.

"Tiz hun. Let me finish tying up Rem's binding, okay sweetheart?" Zagi gently pulled her off of me and laid her on my right side near to the wall. She was still crying those hiccupping sobs that are heart wrenching when you hear them from children. Zagi did like he said and quickly tied off my binding at my hip.

"Thanks Zagi." I smiled and laid down motioning to Tiz for a hug. Zagi saw that I was going to still comfort Tiz, so he got off the bed and pulled a chair up. Tiz moved in to my embrace and sobbed into my right shoulder.

"Tiz, she's okay… Stop crying Tiz. It's alright now." Zagi said trying to comfort the little hiccupping bundle at my side.

"It's… not… okay... Yui… hurt… REM!" She hiccupped in between cries.

"And I hurt him too. It was a fair trade." Tiz rubbed her eyes and looked up at me. She got an angry look on her face at my comment on fair trade.

"It was not! You're a girl. Yui wasn't supposed to hurt you like that! And you said you wouldn't get hurt. That it would all be ok! YOU LIED!" she shrieked at me as she sat up and out of my arms.

"I've never lied to you Tiz. I told you I wouldn't die, not that I wouldn't get hurt." I told her in a firm voice. Tiz looked stricken. I reached out and stroked her hair to comfort her again.

"Fine; but it's still not fair. Yui isn't as hurt as you are." She wailed again with fresh tears rolling down her face. All I could do was smile at her. She was an adorable child. She was going to learn some very, very, harsh truths about the differences in strength of men and women though. I had learned my lessons at an early age.

"Did you really expect me to not be injured in a fight against a man that had double my strength and arm reach?" I asked her. I wanted her to work this problem out for herself. She needed to understand that Yui got just as hurt as I did in that fight. She couldn't blame him.

"But you were quicker than him." She countered.

"Only by a little."

"You were faster than him. Hell, I think you might be faster than me…" Zagi interjected.

"See! Even Zagi says so." Tiz piped up thinking she had won. Zagi surprised both of us though.

"But Tiz, Rem is correct it was a fair fight." Tiz whirled on him. And Zagi put his hands up to defend himself. She was beating his chest with her little fists and crying.

"WAS NOT! WAS NOT! WAS NOT!"

"Yes Tiz, it was. Rem in perfect condition, though, would have beaten the snot out of Yui and he knows it. That's why he called it a draw and not a win. Because he knew he couldn't win." Zagi told her as he trapped her fists in his hands. Tiz looked to me to tell her that Zagi was lying to her; but could only nod that Zagi was right. I had started that fight knowing that I had a disadvantage. How Zagi knew that I would wipe the floor with him in perfect condition was beyond my realm of knowledge though.

Zagi handed her back to me when she started to wail again saying that we were dumb-dumbs. I held her while she cried and somewhere in the middle of all her crying the two of us fell asleep, with Zagi keeping watch.

XXXXXXX

She was sleeping soundly holding that little brat of Thor's. I walked over to where I had thrown the blanket earlier and covered them both. They were so defenseless sleeping like this. I had this wonderful vision to myself. I reached out and moved a strand of her long red hair that had escaped her braid.

She was everything a man could want. God and the way she fought…even while hurt. I had held myself back from jumping in to that ring last night after Yui had thrown away his sword. I was scared, scared that she would have been too proud to admit defeat.

Never mind that I was right, she was too proud, but she had fought and found the way out of Yui's hold. I was strangely proud that she hadn't given up. I leaned down over that defenseless face and kissed her forehead.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I hadn't heard the door open. Chen had walked in and saw me. '_Great_'I thought. _'Now I'm going to have to deal with her.'_ Chen looked at me with shocked eyes and nearly dropped the tray of food that she was carrying. I suppose that she had brought it so that Rem could eat after Chen treated her wounds.

I felt a satisfied smile appear on my face when Chen's eyes darted to Rem's chest and shoulder and saw the bandages. As she got closer I got up from my post beside the bed and went to leave. I knew she was going to chase me away after what she had seen. I wasn't stupid.

Chen hurriedly put the tray down by the bed and caught up with me out in the hallway. I knew what she was going to say and I held out my hand to stop her from talking.

"I know…"

"You know what? Tell me you didn't do anything other than treat the wounds. Zagi…we still have one month till the month of joining…" Chen hissed at me.

"I didn't do anything other than treat the wounds and kiss her forehead like you saw." I replied morosely. Chen looked at me with a mix of anger, concern, and fear plain on her face. The anger was for me I'm sure, the concern and fear were probably for Rem and Thor. I knew that Thor was like me. I had known the moment I had met him at his tender age of twelve.

We were survivors and warriors; but warriors can't keep the act of toughness forever. You have equal parts of tough and soft. Some just hide one side better than others. I sighed heavily at Chen. She wouldn't understand. So I continued to walk to the dining to grab something to eat.

I heard Chen call out to me but I ignored her. Eventually she turned back towards Rem's room like I knew she would. She or one of the females that she trusted would now, most likely, be glued to Rem's side. Reporting back to Chen my movements, and probably Thor's as well. This would happen till Rem picked someone for the month of joining. I was going to have to make sure she picked me. That she wanted me. Sigh, ugh Chen was going to make this bothersome and difficult.

"Might as well plan out the hunt then…" I muttered to myself with a smile. Planning was my forte after all.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! Comments and Critques are always welcome! :) more to come! **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This parts gets a little graphic... just a warning. :) enjoy.**

Chapter 6

I was still in bed a week after that damned fight with Yui, although, I had many visitors these days. For some reason Chen and a couple of other women had been glued to my bedside. They had told me that it was for my protection from the men after the fight. Which didn't sound all together like the truth to me; but it was all the answer I was going to get apparently.

What really got to me was that most of the men were on a hunt now, to fill up the remaining food stores, which meant most of the men were gone, right? I had been racking my head for the last three or four days and I still couldn't follow Chen's logic. There had to be something that she wasn't telling me.

"Ummm…Chen can I ask you something?" I asked the woman sitting next to my bed eating dinner. She had brought me my food and proceeded to shoo out the previous woman that had kept watch.

"Sure what is it?"

"It's going to sound rude and I apologize for it before hand, alright?" I cautiously stated. Chen looked up from her food tray on her lap and stopped eating.

"Spit it out."

"What the hell did I do to earn a pair of eyes on me at all times?" I quietly raged at her. I was pissed and tired of all the fake smiles of women who obviously hated me, sitting there professing that they would watch my back while I sleep. Which I never trusted, so I was losing sleep due to the fact that I didn't trust those women not to stab me while I slept. I was irritated that I was losing sleep. That fight was supposed to help pull me in to this place, not ostracize me.

Chen's eyes went wide as she felt my anger. I guess she thought that I would be happy for the company but, who knows. It hadn't felt like company. It felt like prison guards. Yui was the only visitor that I felt was actually genuinely worried. I guess he felt anger that he had been made to fight me in the first place.

Chen's face closed down. She was sitting in the chair next to my bed biting her bottom lip and wringing her hands, in what I can only call, frustration. When she finally looked back up at me her eyes were heavy, laden with concern.

"Rem, what do you think of Thor and Zagi?" She probed me. Honestly, I really didn't know either of them well enough to give her a justified answer. How did I feel? Grateful that I got rescued, and taken in, worried that I would be a hindrance, but there's also this lingering concern about why everyone was tiptoeing around me when it came to those two men. I heaved a sigh. I was irritated.

"Why?" I rebutted. Honestly, my feelings where none of her damned business.

"Why…well, um… the month of joining is coming and you are a strong woman so…well, how should I put this. The women here choose their mates…" I had heard this part of the spiel and didn't want to listen to it again.

"Yeah you've told me, women chose who they want to mate with in that month. Why are my affairs for that month any of your business Chen?" I got a gasp from the woman that was in the room with us. Apparently she didn't like the way I was talking to Chen for some reason. This was my business though. Not theirs. Who I slept with was defiantly my decision and didn't need any help or hindrance from other women.

Chen was visibly taken aback though. I guess she thought that I would open up to her. Not a fucking chance. I knew from personal experience that the only thing you could trust in life was yourself and a good weapon. Everyone else would get you hurt or try and kill you.

"I don't want any more fights here ok? You aren't in good enough shape either to fight off all the women that would kill to get a chance in Thor's, or Zagi's, bed for that matter." Chen was getting angrier now.

"I can't help you with the first one but; again, that second part that would be my problem not yours…right?" I posed it as a question. I didn't need sympathy friendships or people with ulterior motives. I wasn't sure what was going on with Chen but until I did I didn't want her close to me.

"You need friends here Rem… not enemies-"she was cut off by Yui walking through the door.

"YO! I come bearing delicious fruit for the injured…" Yui announced to the room, but stopped when he realized that he had walked in on an important conversation. I smiled. Yui was an incredible oaf but loveable and completely oblivious to plots. I guess that was what I liked about him. He was genuine about his intentions. No plotting. No ulterior motives. Just a really sweet guy; it was a refreshing change of pace from what I was used to.

"Learn to knock Yui." Chen threw him an irritated glare.

"Sorry, was I interrupting something important? I can come back later…" Yui stumbled over himself to make up for his rudeness. I smiled and waved at the air and turned to look at Chen in the face.

"No Yui… You didn't interrupt anything important at all. What fruits did you bring today?" I asked turning my attention to the man who was clearly confused about what he had just stumbled across. Chen stood up abruptly, knocking her chair over. She was trembling she was so mad.

"NO! This is important and you need to heed this Rem. I don't know where you come from but it intrigues the hell out of those two. Please just be careful with them and watch your back." She finally grumbled at me and stalked out of the room. Yui looked back and forth from me to the door trying to find the missing pieces of the conversation and apparently failing. I sighed as he walked over and picked up the fallen chair and sat in it.

"What was all that about?" He asked curiously.

"Month of Joining…she wants me to choose I guess…." I scratched my head in confusion. I didn't really even know why she only said Thor and Zagi's names? I mean Yui stood a good chance. He was cute, funny, and a hell of a good fighter to boot. I didn't understand… I mean, yes on one level I got it. They were the two most sought after men, so why wouldn't I want them; but still that is thinking like I had been living here all my life and I hadn't.

Although on Genesis the concept is similar to the one of Chimera, it was just…well; I certainly wouldn't be able to explain it to Chen or anyone else except someone who had lived on Genesis. Talk about unequal treatment. I sighed heavily thinking to myself, _'the women here have no idea how bad it can really be for them. They are treated like royals in comparison to what I lived through. On Genesis, if you weren't strong…'._I shook myself before those memoires could come back. I wasn't going to open that can of worms. _Never again_.

"You alright? You look a little worse for wear."Yui asked me in concern. I looked up quickly and after a moment smiled at him.

"Yeah, ya' think. I mean come on. Isn't bandage clothing the cool thing right now?" I joked back at him referring to my beat up appearance. He smiled, shook his head and threw the piece of bread that he had been eating at me.

"And here I was serious you little brat."

"Since when am I a brat?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"Since I'm _way _older than you." He laughed at me.

"Really? I didn't know that 5 years made that big of a difference, especially here?" I told him and the look he gave me was classic astonishment and then Yui burst out laughing.

"You got me there." He said through his laughs, "But seriously there are other guys that wouldn't lose to you in a fair fight. You should look to one of them for the month of joining."

"Ah, that's what this is about. It's 'cause you lost? Really, come on, do you know how hard that fight was." I said trying to catch his eyes. Yui wasn't looking at me anymore. I was pretty sure thought that he felt he wasn't good enough for me. Which was horse shit; I had never met a man that would willingly call a draw to a woman. But from the glare I was receiving from Yui he did not have that same thought.

"Rem, this isn't a joke. You need a strong man, not one that you can kick the shit out of…" Yui tried to continue but I cut him off with a hand held out. I was really getting sick and tired of everyone telling me who I should choose. Fuck them, this was, and always would be, my choice. I glared at Yui.

"Don't you think that choosing who I sleep with is my choice Yui?" I said as I lowered my hand. Slowly a smile crept over Yui's face.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He chuckled softly.

"Finally, I get someone to agree with me." I laughed as I leaned back against the wall at the head of my bed. I was feeling a little better now that the look of complete loss was gone from Yui's eyes.

Yui reached over and picked up the cup that was on the table next to the bed. But, instead of drinking the wine that was inside the earthenware cup, he swirled the liquid around and around inside. I fell into that swirling liquid.

***~Flash back~***

I was twelve standing at the top of a pit looking into it; but instead of the put being empty and desolate there were men down there. It was my first time at the pit and I had asked my combat trainer why they were down there. He taped me on the shoulder lightly with a sad smile before he threw me in there head first. I had no weapon and there had to have been close to twenty men in there. I didn't comprehend why I was getting thrown in here.

I tried to ask my trainer why once I had landed in the pit; but he wouldn't answer me. He had walked over to his chair and sat down so he could watch what would happen. I was surrounded by crazed men and they were advancing on me. The men in that were placed in the pit were always criminals or crazies.

"Hey, hey, hey there pretty thing. Make sure you know how to fight now. We aren't gentle." One of them laughed at me. I swallowed hard and got in a defensive crouch.

I was fighting for hours and hours and none of these men would stay down. My clothes were torn and I was starting to feel my fatigue. The only advice from my trainer above was to kill them and not show mercy or I would regret it later.

I hadn't followed that advice. I didn't have the stomach for killing at that age. I looked up at my trainer and was about to shout something to him when I was choked from behind. I was pulled off my feet. I kicked and scratched to get out of his hold. Another man got up off the ground and socked me in the stomach doubling me over in pain and stopping my struggling for a moment.

They took advantage of my motionlessness and threw me on the ground kicked the shit out of me. Pain bloomed in my lungs and it became harder to breathe. I looked up in my pain haze from the ground. There were now six men surrounding me.

"Hummm…should we rock, paper, scissors to see who goes first, or just take turns."

"Nah, just take turns. I don't think she'll struggle much now."

"Yeah, but damn did she have a left hook." They were laughing down over me. I tried to find my voice and sit up. Pain bloomed again in my side and I slumped back over on the ground.

"What do you mean take turns?" I croaked with a raw voice. The men just laughed. The others held me down while the one behind me started to take off what was left of my tattered pants and shirt.

I screamed and bucked trying to get free. The laughing was just getting more maniacal around me. I knew tears were leaking out of my eyes. I was screaming for my trainer; for some kind of help. The man behind me ripping away my clothing jerked my head back by my hair, making me look up at my trainer.

"See, he doesn't care what we do to you." The man said in my ear.

He was sitting in his chair with his drink looking down at the pit with no hint of concern or sympathy. He sat there in his chair swirling his drink in his left hand and shook his head at me.

"I told you to kill them. This is your punishment for showing mercy to men who deserve no such thing."

I screamed and screamed while I was being raped repeatedly. I finally was left in a heap of torn clothes and fluids when they were done with me. then and only then did my trainer come down and get me out of the hole. As my trainer was going to pick me up one of the men charged him; trainer didn't hesitate a single second when he killed them all in one fell swoop of his Kusarigama, a sharp sickle on a chain. _(Yes the same weapon from Inu Yasha that Kohaku uses. :P ) _

***~End Flash Back~***

I came to screaming long and loud while being rocked back and forth by Yui. He had crawled on the bed and held me. I had tears streaming down my face and I was howling in pain from my memoires. I had become more ruthless since then. I mourned for my innocence that I lost that day as Yui rocked me and crooned to me that everything was ok.

**XXXXX**

I had no idea what happened. One minute Rem is talking to me and the next she was crying and screaming out in pain… I was lost. I am weak against women and tears. But it wasn't just the tears that hurt me to see, it was the screams of pain that were being bellowed that got to me. It was like she just couldn't hold in the pain anymore and it just burst out of her in one big rush.

I did the only thing I could think of that might help her. I crawled behind her on the bed and held her. I rocked her back and forth trying to soothe her.

"Rem, Rem… It's ok. It's OK. I'm here Rem. No one's going to hurt you. It's ok, Everything's Ok. Rem…." I kept chanting to her over and over and over again.

Chen and the other women burst in to the room and looked from her to me and were about to yell at me to get away from her. I was about to explain that I hadn't done anything when Rem went berserk.

My sword that I had taken off so I could crawl on to the bed, was within her reach. She picked it up and chucked it at the women screaming wordlessly at first. Chen just barely got out of the way as it when sailing past her head. Chen gazed down at Rem speechless from what just happened.

"GET OUT! OUT! OUT! OUT! Leave me alone…"Rem raged and then fell in to a howling heap of tears. I was lost again. I looked up to Chen for a little guidance as to what I could do to make her feel better. Chen looked at me and a single tear rolled down her face.

"Yui, you didn't do this did you…" Chen asked me cautiously as the other woman walked out of the room.

"No Chen. I have no idea what happened. What do I do? She's in so much pain Chen…" I was so worried. None of the women I'd known had ever done this in front of me. I was lost on how to console her. Chen looked to me and nodded and another tear fell.

"All you can do is what you were doing. Hold her and tell her she's safe. I'll make her no one else will enter her room till she's up to it. Just be there for her Yui. That is what she needs at this moment." Chen explained as she backed slowly out of the room.

I looked down at the woman on my lap and wrapped as much of me as I could around her to make her feel safe. Her howling pain brought tears to my eyes as I rocked her back and forth. Who could have caused this much pain to this woman.

And if that person was still alive, and ever crossed my path, I would make sure that they knew this kind of raw pain.

**A/N: Comments and critques are always welcome :) tell me what you think of it so far.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: New installment. Please enjoy! Same disclaimer as before…Ionly own my OOC's all others belong to Jyu-Oh-Sei's creator! :D**

Chapter 7

"What! What happened?" I was shocked to hear what Chen had told me had happened while we were gone. Even more surprised still to find out that she didn't know what had caused it.

"Calm down Zagi. Getting excitable isn't going to help anyone, especially not Rem." Thor scolded me. I was not happy with him. He had beaten me in a friendly little wager between us on the hunt. I had to physically restrain myself from grimacing at his comment.

"Who is with her now?" Thor asked Chen.

"Tiz…After Rem's breakdown she hasn't left her side." Chen looked haunted as she was standing in front of us. Thor looked at me. He had noticed it too. Chen looked into my face and then Thor's and a tear leaked out of her eye.

"Chen…Wha-" Thor hugged her as she started to cry.

"I don't know what she's been through, but the screams of pain and sheer terror that she belted out that day scare me. I've been through hell on this planet but…that…it doesn't even feel like a ripple in the amount of tears, blood, and sweat she's gone through." Chen choked out in gasps. Thor's eyes bored holes into me. We had the same questions that we wanted answered.

We got all the information we could from Chen about what had happened, and we sent her off to take care of the banquet that was to be happening in matter of weeks. I had only seen Chen cry twice. Once, when I had killed the father of her one child, Yuki, which, I suspect, is why she still hates me a little. Second, when Thor had finally dragged both me, and Tiz's dead body, up from the bottoms of the muses, deep in the planet she howled in rage over the loss of her closest friend.

Thor and I walked to Rem's room to find a Yui standing outside the door staring into nothingness. Chen had told us that Yui was the one, that day, who had held Rem so she didn't break on us all. I coughed to get Yui's attention as Thor and I came to a stop beside him. He startled into readiness immediately.

"Ah…Thor Sir…Zagi…" He said while jumping and moving back from the door. He wasn't acting like himself. Usually he would pick at me or be at least a little jovial.

"Yui…Chen told us- Is she alright?" Thor finally asked after hesitating. Yui looked between us and then looked at the ground.

"I didn't know what to do Thor. She just started breathing all crazy and then…"Yui looked up at us with tears shining in his eyes but not falling, "She started screaming and yelling something about a pit…"

_'A pit?'_ I thought to myself as I looked to Thor. _'Why a pit?'_

"And when Chen came running in to see what was the matter…she…I guess it startled her but…Rem chucked my sword at the women." Yui wheezed.

"If I hadn't grabbed her arm at the last second it would have hit one of them in the arm or worse…" Yui's voice cracked. I was guessing he was reliving that moment over and over again, to see what had made Rem slip in to a rage. I walked over and clapped Yui on the shoulder and made him look me in the eyes.

"Thank you for being there for her when we couldn't. Do you think she's up for a visit?" I asked him since, according to Chen, he was pretty much the only person she would allow in the room. The look I got was a mix of anger and fear. I understood the fear, but the anger was a little surprising to me. He looked back down at his feet and nodded to us.

"I am sure she would love company. She's getting cabin fever from not being able to move because of her injuries."

"She still not allowed to move yet?" Thor questioned. We had been under the impression that her wounds would be healed by the time the hunt was over.

"No. The doctor is still worried about one of her ribs; especially since her episode, she opened a lot of her wounds." Yui reported.

"Ah, alright, we shall tread lightly then. Zagi and I do not wish to upset her any further." Apparently, Thor had caught Yui's anger as well. Good. It wasn't just me sensing it then.

**XXXXX**

"Rem-Rem are you sure that you don't want me to stay?"Tiz asked me in a small voice. She had just brought me my dinner with Yui, who unexpectedly left after a short talk, saying that he had to go and report somewhere. I looked at the little girl who was practically shaking with her desire to attach herself to my hip after what had happened. I couldn't say no to her.

"No, I take it back, you can stay here tonight if you want to, but you make sure someone knows other than me. I don't want you getting in trouble. Okay?" I told her. Her face lit up at my response. I had given them all a scare I guess. Hell, I had scared myself with that memory. I thought that I had finally buried all of those damned things.

There was a knock on the door and Tiz and I looked over. No one ever knocked except for Chen and I really wasn't up to seeing her yet. I knew I had to apologize to her. From what Yui had told me, I had thrown his sword and if he hadn't grabbed my hand at the last moment, I would have hurt someone. The door opened a bit to reveal two of our least expected guests. Zagi and Thor poked their heads in just enough to see us.

"May we come in?" Thor asked and an excited Tiz practically flew across the room and in to his outstretched arms. I smiled and laughed.

"Yes. Come on in. But since when do you knock Zagi?" I poked at him. He smiled at me and threw a thumb in Thor's direction.

"He knocked, not me." he smiled and came over to the bed with Thor and Tiz in tow. Tiz was in Thor's arms clinging to his neck like it was a life raft.

"How are you feeling?" Thor tentatively broached the subject of my tantrum. I blushed slightly. I was not proud of the fact that I had a panic attack the other day.

"I'm fine now. Sorry to worry everyone." I said as I smiled. It didn't quite reach my eyes though. My heart wasn't into smiling right now. Not all of the memories where completely buried. It was making it a very hard day.

"You don't have to put on an act you know." Zagi remarked as he sat in the chair at my bedside and got comfortable. Thor took up root leaning against the post at the foot of my bed. I was a little upset at his comment but Zagi was right I was putting on a bit of an air. I wasn't ready to talk about anything to anybody, so I was pointedly acting as if nothing major had happened. I sighed and shook my head.

"You can talk to us. We're actually okay listeners." Thor motioned to Zagi and to himself as well.

"I…Thanks, but there isn't anything to tell."

"You're that scared of whatever happened?" Zagi snickered at me. I think he was just trying to get me to talk by poking at my pride a little. Normally that probably would have worked; but when it came to memories of my training and combat…it was a whole other ball park. I avoided my memories and locked them in the deepest, blackest pit in my mind that I could find.

So all I could do was smile and nod at him. I sighed. This day was just going to hurt. It didn't look like Zagi and Thor were going to let this go.

"Yeah, I am."

"Rem….what happened…please talk to us. We both know what colony life was like at one time or another." Thor pleaded with me. His comment hit a nerve and I lost my cool for the smallest of moments as I replied to him.

"No. No, you don't know what it was like. Neither of you lived on Genesis and neither of you is a woman." Thor and Zagi stared at me and waited for me to continue. I didn't want to. I didn't want to open my black box of memoires that I had carefully locked and thrown away.

"Was Genesis that bad?" Zagi asked.

"We know it's a warrior colony; but not much other than that. Was it your training or something else?" Thor continued on Zagi's question. The black box was leaking little memories at the mentions of training. And I was swimming, treading water as fast as I could to stay ahead of whatever they would force out of that box from this one little talk. I shut my eyes and covered my face with my hands to try and fight them more.

"Get out." I whimpered. I sounded pathetic, but with each question I felt like I was suffocating. The air was getting hotter. It was stifling. I wanted them to stop. I wanted it all to stop.

"What…" Zagi gaped at me.

"Get out." I said a little louder and my eyes felt hot as another memory of training brushed my conciseness.

"But…Rem, come on we are here for you. Just let us-" Thor was trying to soothe me.

"GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!" I screamed and Zagi got up quickly dragging Thor and Tiz behind him. Thor was going to say something again but Zagi pulled him faster to the door before he could get it out.

When they were finally out of the room I could breathe again but I felt terrible. I laid down trying hard not to get sucked back in to anymore memoires. I curled in to a ball and covered my head with the blanket. I was trying to shut out the world but nothing was going the way I wanted today.

I started to cry in my weakness.

**XXXXX**

"Zagi, why did you pull us out of there?" Thor yelled at me.

"Listen and you will figure it out, idiot." I yelled back at him. Thor shut up and listened through the closed wooden door we had just come through. It was faint but you could hear Rem crying softly. Thor's face fell. We were worried but we didn't want to hurt her further. I had nearly slapped myself for the questions that had come out of my mouth while we were in there. I sighed heavily.

"If we had stayed in there any longer we would have caused another panic attack for her." I told him matter of factly. I had noticed that she was breathing heavy and had gotten up. I cursed my idiocy for pushing her.

"All I want is for her to feel safe enough to relay on us." Thor commented as he leaned against the wall.

"Hate to break it to you Thor, but your worst memories will come to the surface, no matter how hard you've buried them, when you feel the safest." I sighed. Thor looked at me and thought about what I'd said for a minute and then nodded.

"Yeah that's true. It was only after I had started to feel safe here that I could try and sort out my grief over Rei. I guess I'd just never thought about the timing." Thor contemplated out loud as he talked about his grief of his lost brother.

**Later that night**

There was a knock on my door. After my little hissy fit this afternoon I figured I wouldn't get anymore guests. But a little bundle of black hair popped through the door as it creaked open half way. Tiz's grey eyes were red and puffy, surely from crying all day. The poor thing, I had made her worry. I heaved a sigh and sat up and patted the bed when she didn't say anything to me.

"Come here you." Tiz got up on the bed, but kept a tiny amount of distance between us. I wasn't sure why either; other than, having screamed at everyone to get out of my room earlier, of course. Maybe she still wasn't sure of her welcome. I put my right arm around her shoulders to comfort her and leaned on her, placing my head on top of hers.

"I just came by to see if you wanted to go for a walk. You haven't gone out of the room right? The nights are going to be here soon and I thought you might want to see one of the last sunny day views we have at the observation deck." Tiz asked with tears in her eyes. I smiled, happy that this little girl cared about a broken shell of a person like me.

"Yes, that would be very nice Tiz. Can you show me to the observation deck?"

"Mmm" she grinned up at me and nodded happily.

When we got up to the deck it was an amazing view to behold. From what Tiz was telling me and what I could see for myself, the gigantic stocks that shot out in to the sky and canopied in front of the Ochre Fortress were called Muses.

I thought back to what Thor had told me on my first few days here and remembered that he had told me that Muses were their source of water, and also once the canopies fell from them the month of joining would start. And then the nights would begin. 181 days of solid night and cold weather. From the sun shining down now, and the wonderful breeze that was blowing, it was a hard thing to imagine that soon it would all be buried under a dark sky and snow.

"It's beautiful."

"Yeah. It's always the prettiest right before the nights come."

"That's the way the world works hun." I chuckled feeling much, much better at the sight of the sky. I say down on the stone balcony that over looked the Muses and soaked in the sun. I was starting to ache from not being active these last few weeks. I would soon need to regain the muscle that I had lost while I had been recuperating. Tiz sat down in front of me and we watched the sun and the Muses sway till Zagi found us on the deck.

"What are you two doing out here?" Zagi asked me looking down at a very asleep Tiz in my lap.

"We were just watching the Muses." I replied.

"Yeah they are a sight, huh?" Zagi said looking out in the distance. It took him only a minute and then he looked back at me and smiled.

"What?"

"Nothin'. Come on let's get you back to your room it's late; and as you can tell its Tiz's bed time. That's who I was looking for by the way. Thor was going crazy looking for her. She disappeared after dinner." He chuckled to me as he scooped her into his arms and held a hand out to me.

"Ah. So how did you know to look here?"

"It's her favorite spot other than by Thor's side. Oh yeah, and your side as well, now. Although, I think she spends more time with you now." He laughed lightly so as not to wake her up.

"You went to my room first didn't you?" I nudged him with my elbow.

"Yeah, I did." And somehow the look I received as he told me that made me look away. He was being way too intense for just a dull comment as all that. I threaded my arm around his as we hobbled at my pace back to my room.

**A/N: Cliffhagger! LOL more to come maybe some steamy scene next :p tune in next time! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Authors note: Hey sorry for the hiatus. Im back to writing a whole bunch, so there will be more to follow. Here is a small chapter to hold you over. Enjoy**

Chapter 8

I got back to my room with Zagi leading the entire way. I was still trying to figure out this honeycomb maze of brick that everyone here called home. I wasn't any closer to figuring it all out by the time Zagi and I got to my door. Zagi hefted the slumbering Tiz a little higher on his shoulder to adjust her slipping form. He turned to me and a funny look crossed his face, like he wanted to say something or do something old fashioned. I held up a hand to stop whatever chivalrous gesture he was going to act out in front of my door.

"Thank you Zagi." I smiled as his brows knitted together in confusion. Zagi shrugged and hiked the slipping, slumbering Tiz back into place on his shoulder again.

"I didn't really do anything."

"Are you kidding? I have no idea how to get around here. I wouldn't know where the heck to go if it weren't for Tiz." I said gesturing to the sweet little bundle as she huddled her face deeper into his neck.

"How bout I show you where everything is tomorrow then?" he suggested to me open ended.

"Are you sure? I mean I would love to but only if you aren't busy…I don't want to interfere with your duties to Thor." Zagi smiled and shook his head at me.

"Don't worry about Thor. He wants you to feel at home here now. You know that."

I nodded knowing somewhere inside me that he was right; that I should get used to this planet and start living. I was never going to get back to my colony and I knew it. But hope is a deceitful bitch that likes to have your emotions on a yo-yo.

"Alright." I agreed as I opened my door to find I almost smashed the door into Yui's face. I startled and stepped back and Zagi moved as if to step in front of me. It was heroic but grating to my pride. No man had to protect me. I protected myself. That was the only way to survive.

Men lied.

I shook my head.

I needed to stop that, Chimera was not Genesis Damnit! I would not bring my prejudices here to the very people that saved me.

"Yui! What the heck!" Zagi shouted and Yui startled.

"Uh, sorry I was looking for Remi I brought her dinner but she wasn't in the room. I was just about to go out looking for her." Yui said with a side long glance at me. I was just getting all sorts of male attention I just really didn't need recently. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair as I walked into my room.

"Yui I appreciate you bringing my dinner to me and Zagi I will definitely take you up on that offer of showing me around tomorrow. I however, need my shut eye just like Tiz there." I smiled at them both as I shut my door. I sighed as I leaned back against the door. Sliding to the floor I listened to the men outside my door mumble and walk away_. 'I don't know what I am going to do with those two.'_ I heaved another sigh_. 'This is bad, they both have feelings toward me from what I could see and if what Thor and Chen had told me about the month of joining was true, then I am going to have a rough time of it in the coming week…'_


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Ok so I know I have been slipping lately. I am totally sorry that this one story has slipped through the cracks. I recently found it again and was like crap why'd I stop and immediately started typing. SO, in short sorry I took so long! Hope you enjoy the story! R&R!**

**Chapter 9**

"What was that about?" Yui asked as Rem's door slammed in our faces. I looked between both Yui and the door and I knew I had at least a little more competition then Thor. Yui just happened to be thankfully more clueless.

"No idea? Maybe finding you in her room made her mad?" I teased Yui and to my surprise his face fell instead of him making a jab back at me. '_crap this is going to be difficult.'_ Cause I actually liked Yui as a person. I turned and started to walk away hiking Tiz up on my shoulder again.

"Do you think that was it?" Yui said as he turned and caught up with me. He seemed genuinely worried about her.

"I have no clue Yui. Maybe she was telling the truth and she was just tired?" I sighed in frustration. I had to start thinking of a way to woo her and not let Thor, and now, Yui know. She had to pick me it was like a physical ache now. It had to be me she picked; if she picked anyone at all. Sobering thought that. Not that I didn't mind spending the month of joining alone but, I hadn't had to spend it alone in many, many years_. 'This was going to be one hell of a chase and I do love to chase.'_ I thought grinning like a fool.

**XXX Next Day XXX**

I was standing with my back to the door getting dressed. I had pulled on some leather pants and boots and had just finished wrapping my chest when my door busted wide open. In front of me on my bed was one of my tiny throwing knives that I had rescued from my boot. I had forgotten that it was there for safe keeping and in case of emergencies. Without thinking I bent down and grabbed my knife and threw it towards the door frame. I had reacted without thinking and now all the visual images of who it could be started to flash in my mind. I gasped as soon as the knife left my hand wished I could take back that one motion. Thankfully my aim was off and the knife sank home in the door frame rather than into flesh.

"I didn't think you had a weapon guess I was wrong." Zagi said smiling at me from the doorway.

"Learn to KNOCK! Damn it!" I glared at him and regretted that the knife didn't actually hit him.

"Nah. This is a much more genuine reaction; don't you think?" Zagi laughed.

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah." I sighed as I turned back around and pulled a forest green top on over my head. I hissed out a breath when I pulled my arm up and through, but it couldn't be helped. What I wasn't expecting was Zagi to be right there as I pulled my shirt the rest of the way down, looking concerned.

"You ok?"

"Yeah. I'm not spun glass. I'm not going to break, it just hurts. That's all." That got me a smile and not one of the smirking ones either. This one was genuine or as genuine as I've seen from him any way. I shook my head and laughed, this day was going to be interesting that was for sure.

"Shall we go then? Anywhere in particular you want to know how to get to first?" he asked opening the door for me. I paused and pulled my knife out of the door frame, pulled some of the binding around my chest out and stuffed it down so you couldn't see it unless you looked directly down my cleavage. Zagi watched in fascination as he watched the knife seemingly disappear.

"How about where the food is, so that I can stop being fed like a baby. Having everything brought to me when I am perfectly capable of walking is annoying." I griped.

"I bet. But I'm going to warn you there are people that didn't want another mouth to feed this winter as you can well remember from your fight. And well let's say..." Zagi paused as if trying to grasp the right words out of the air.

"l know, from what I can deduce I won't be the favorite person amongst the women whereas the men may have a different opinion. Is that about the gist of it?" he gave me a grim nod and as he opened his mouth to tell me something else I stopped him by placing my fingers to his mouth.

"Look I will be careful; I have my knife and the only thing that is truly still sore to the touch is my shoulder. My ribs feel better than they did and I am sure I can hold my own otherwise I wouldn't be walking around and you know that. So, save your breath on the warnings, ok? I know the risk." Zagi looked dumbfounded for a minute then smiled and grabbed my hand pulling me down the hall with him. It was a new sensation, this hand holding. Well, with a man that is. I stared at his hand for a while and when I knew he wasn't going to let go I just shrugged and accepted it as part of him showing me around this gigantic fortress.

**XXX**

It took heroic efforts to stifle my laughter. I had tears leaking down the side my face and I was sure I was red from my stifling. It was too comical. When I took Rem to the mess I didn't think that it would turn out that hilarious. Another fit of laughter took me at the memory of what I had witnessed and I had to return to stifling.

"Stop laughing already. It was embarrassing enough." Rem scolded me but was laughing a little herself at the ridiculousness of it all.

'But..but but….HAHAHAHAHA" I couldn't hold it anymore. Just remembering the line-up of man after man that had come up to her and propositioned her, and not all of them too subtle, GOD! Oh, and the way the woman just about burned her alive with their glares and nasty comments; which were returned in kind, but still, it was more than what even I had expected.

"Oh for the love of God Zagi; it wasn't that funny." She laughed along with me and I was happy that for once she had loosed up in front of me.

"Oh yes it was. It was comedic genius on God's part." I said as I wiped my face of the laughing tears. "Where to next Rem?" I asked so as to spend more time with her.

"You sure you don't have anything to do today? I don't want to take away from your duties here." She said with a frown losing a little of that fun sprit she had a moment ago.

"I told you I would show you around today and that is what I am going to do." I smiled at her as I grabbed her hand and started to walk forwards towards the exit of the fortress. I had a mind to show her the plants and what each was capable of. Took me back to a time when I showed Thor and his brother how the planet worked when he got landed here. Man, it has been a long time. I smiled thinking back at the memory.


End file.
